Jeroslav Zeleny has shared Czechia’s expectations ahead of their World Cup Group A match against South Africa, scheduled for Thursday at the Mercedes Benz Stadium. Zeleny noted that his team has studied the playing style of the South Africans and has prepared accordingly.
“The opponent will be typologically different. Korea had a lot of speed, South Africa has more power players,” he explained on the Czech national team website. He anticipates a more physical encounter compared to their previous match, referencing South Africa’s “crazy” first game.
Despite both teams facing defeats in their opening matches—Czechia lost to South Korea 2-1, while South Africa fell to Mexico 2-0—Zeleny believes neither side holds a significant advantage. “They are in a similar situation to us, and they didn’t score a goal, so they are a little worse off,” he stated.
The Czech defender emphasized the importance of thorough preparation to secure the win. “We need to prepare better than them and win the match,” he concluded. The match is set to kick off at 6 PM South African time on Thursday.